Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-04-08
CHAPTER Y.

There was only one blot in the sweetness
and light Of Miss Mignon's baby character,
% Ear as the officers Of the Scarlet Lancers
we're concerned Amor.-. thasn all there
IVES only one whom she did not Hike. Shs
had degrees Of love-Bootles ranked first,
then Lacy, then two or three groups Of
friends whom she liked best better and
we'll; but she had nodegre,s Of dialike where
she did not love She hated, hated Hercely
and furiously, hated with all her baby
heart and soul There were several persons
in her small world whom she detested thus,
absolutely declining to hold communication
or to accept overtures from them, however
sweetly made; but there was only one Of
the officers who cana under this
head, and he was Gilchrist the
man who had dubbed her at first
scorkhouss brat. Miss Mignon could not
endure him. When old enough to under
stand that . certain box Of sweeties had
como from Mr.. Gilchrist, she would drop It
- il It burned her fingers, draw down ths
corners Of her mouth, and remark, "Afiss
Mignon ID very much obliged" an observa-
ton which invariably sent Bottles and Lacy
of into 1lts Of laughter, at which the little
maid would fly open-armed to him and CRY,
''But Mignm loves Bootlea" But The fact
remained the Same, that Miss Nignon de-
tested Glchrist, who, indeed, was not a
favorite in the regiment Nor, indeed, did
0ilchrist seem to like Miss Nignon any bet
ter, though he now and then brought his
offerings Of toys and bonbons, like the rcst
In the facs Of Boobies severe snub about the
two odious words he had applied to her, be
WA hardly such . simpleton a to further
rouse or annoy tho most popular man in the
regiment; yet Y he could possibly cast slur
on Boobies or On the child he did It Never
from his lips came the pet name Miss Mig
non," never did his black Dyes rest ON her
without . sneer or . tbe; II he could by any
chance twist Bootles words into an admis-
don that the child was really his, he took
care never to loes the Opportunity.
/ S'Oh, come. now" Preston cried ono day,
when be had been sneering ct Boobies and
Lacy, who had just driven sway with the
child between them, ':Bootles q . right
good soEt-no mistake On that point No
meaking hyporisy about him. Il would be
well for you and mo Il we were half - nue
chaps; but Ne ore not, 0ilchrist, and, what
Il more. w never shall BE-"
''Oh no; but whore Il the mother Of that
brati"
''How should ! knowe oe Bootles) ]
shouldn't mind laying my Life that Bottles
never did and never win cause her or any
other woman 70 Nrits such . lsttsr - came
with The child that night Jolly good thing
for this one Il she WAS Boobies wife. instead
Of being tied up to the hound who bound her
to secrecy and deserted her. Perhaps SHE'S
dad. poor soeli Who knowsr
perhaps shs im't" Gilchrist msersd.
''Some people nsvsr dia"
81 - n
stared ct him, and Hartog looked from b.
hind hts nswepaper, a&haet ct the bitterness
Of his tonA
"Good hsavsns, oilohristr Preston cried,
stare you sUantinQ somebody to der
very badly. BE rose from his chair, knock
ing few scattered cigar ashes carefully OF
his braided cuff.
"Wen, confess should not be sorry to
- that prating brat Of Boobies out Of the
road. We should perhaps get at the truth
then" And having delivered himself Of this
feeling speech, be went out, banging thu
door after him.
well, upon my soulr' exclaimed Preston.
'tOh, the mans got tile loose In his upper
story" said Hartog, decidedly. '.No man
In his senses would talk such miserable rot
Is that. Always thought Glchrist Q crazy
fool myself, but I'm sure Of it now"
'And how he sticks to it Miss Mignon ID
Bottles own child-as il It could Be any
good for him TO say she isn't II she Is"
''No shall tell Boobies to keep an eve
On Gilchrist ay, what comfort il would
be il he would only exchanged suppose
we can't manage to dazzle him with the d.
lights Of India, chr
mot very well. Besides, be lost sver %
much seniority by coming to u.s."
mo such luck. It's queer, though, he
should be SO persistent about Boobies and
NiS Mignon. suppose b wants to daub
Boobies with some Of his own mud. Thinks
e be only throws enough, some Of It's sure
to stick; and 70 IL would with most men.
Happily, howsvss, It don't In The least
matter what little cad like Gilchrist
chooses to ny about . man like Bodies
Jealous little beast"
Neither Of them said any more about the
matter, but Hartog took The earliest oppor.
tunity Of repeating to Boobies what THAT
as 0ilchrist" bad aid abeut ssstne that
prating brat q Bootlss out of The road,
and in Consequence kind q watch Was sst
upon ths child Not that Bootlss though
b had very poor option Of 0ilchrist and
0lchrit's brains was afraid for . moment
Tat 4 wepl6 give Ma Ngu1n poliebed